Regional political parties in india s. Bhatnagar pradeep kumar

Prohibition (banning of distillation and consumption of liquor) had existed in Tamil Nadu for three years when DMK government decided to scrap it and inside the DMK General Council, MGR had opposed the lifting of the dry law. It is wrongly perceived that MGR's opposition stemmed from his concern for the poor and the lower middle class, who spend limited entertainment funds on movies, might substitute liquor for films. It is also alleged that Karunanidhi had also sought to weaken MGR's position within the cinema industry by trying to launch his son, M.K. Muthu as a new Star and project him as another MGR. Karunanidhi had also arranged for the sprouting of Muthu Resigar Manrams even before Muthu's film was released. In many places, he tried to convert the MGR Manrams into Muthu Manrams. When MGR protested against such moves, Karunanidhi, in a clever move, made an appeal to dissolve all Muthu Manrams. The point was that if his sonsfan clubs were dissolved the next step would be to scrap the manrams of MGR too. Also Karunanidhi supported Shivaji Ganesan (another movie star belonging to the Congress) in certain cinema ventures.

As the treasurer of the DMK, MGR had striven to perform his duties without being an 'yes' man to the 'Dictator' of the party. MGR wanted proper accounting of the huge funds of the party and wanted to know the sources of such income. What MGR asked for was the removal of certain money-bag influences over the party and the proper maintenance of party finances which had grown enormously. MGR was kept in the dark about the amount collected at the Madurai Party Conference in 1972. Feeling this neglect MGR had called for the arrest of dictatorial trends and personality cults in the party in his Pongal day message on 14 January, 1972.

Whatever be the reasons for the rift, the time had arrived for an open

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confrontation between the organizational forces headed by Karunanidhi and the forces of non-political personalities symbolized by MGR. The clash had ideological, organizational and personality dimensions all rolled into one. MGR wanted to focus the public attention on something concrete and visible. And he rightly perceived and attacked the Karunanidhi's faction's Achilles heel corruption. On 8 October, 1972,, MGR, while addressing a meeting, organized to celebrate the late Anna's six-tyfourth birth anniversary, demanded that all DMK town, taluk and district secretaries disclose their financial assets. He rhetorically thundered, "People were eager to know how bungalows and cars came to the Ministers and their relatives after the DMK came to power". MGR also criticisted the DMK Government for lifting prohibition and said that if his view were not given due thought at the upcoming meeting of the DMK General Council, he would not hesitate to go to the public to gain their support for his demand.

MGR's statement was clearly a transgression of party discipline, a violation of the party's policy of democratic centralism, and a direct challenge to Karunanidhi. Immediately, 12 district secretaries of the party and 8 Ministers, who were members of the Executive Committee, assembled in the State Guest House at Madras on 8 October 1972 and resolved for the suspension of MGR in the interest of party discipline and party ideals.

The resolution was submitted to the General Secretary, V.R. Nedun-chezhian and the President, M. Karunanidhi. Then Neduchezhian suspended MGR from all party posts and even from the primary membership of the DMK. This move was intended to stop MGR from attending the General Council meeting on 12-14 October 1972. But when people heard of this decision, crowds of MGR fans ran through city streets attacking DMK flags and pictures of Karunanidhi. Violent incidents, agitations and protests throughout Tamil Nadu had paralysed the DMK administration for well over a fortnight.10 MGR did not even concede to EVR's advice to offer some sort of an apology. All mediatory talks by senior members of the DMK also failed. Unmoved by the mass emotional display over the party executive action, the full General Council met on 13 October 1972, 277 of 303 members in attendance approved the suspension and adopted a resolution prohibiting actions to secure a compromise and reconciliation.

On 15 October 1972, MGR announced his decision to form a new political party in deference to the wishes of his supporters of 20,000 Rasigar Manrams. On 18 October, 1972 MGR christended his party the Anna

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Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. He declared that his party would faithfully follow the principles and policies laid down by the late Anna. By the end of October 1972, the ADMK began to function as a viable political party. The formation of the new party had an electrifying effect on the masses of Tamil Nadu. MGR disclosed that he was expelled from the party because he asked for the accounts of the party. MGR, who was the cause and result of the fusion between films and DMK, had raised the banner of revolt against the DMK organization and was successful. It is true that factions disrupt ideological, organizational leadership and pragamatic energies of a party. But when the factions stabilize themselves they begin to create new and spirited energy for fresh ideologies, organization, leadership and programmes. The AIADMK under the leadership of MGR had also done likewise and began to formulate tenets of "Annaism".

V

Annaism

The AIADMK accepted 'Annaism' as its basic ideology. The process of formation of an ideology is hazardous. Essentially it crosses the four stages of grounding, assimilation, introspection, purging and maturation.11 A leader perceives the nature of inequality in a society and then proposes certain solutions, theoretically at the 'grounding' level. Here he may take recourse to the ideas of some of his predecessors and may assimilate their and others viewpoints. Later on in moments of introspection, he may, add or subtract and purge such of those opinions as are necessary for practical action. Finally, he launches the crusade, which is the stage of maturation.

Annaism as an ideology is a fruit of the experience of a long drawn-out process, both at the theoretical and operative levels. It has crossed all the four stages of an ideology, while trying to respond to the problems of the Tamils.

Anna's contemplation on the socio-political dimensions of the Tamil society made him first to adopt EVR's views of "Northern Aryan's" domination over "Southern Dravidian". To eradicate the Brahmin domination, EVR spelt out the principles of Dravida Nadu, self-respect, rationalism, socialism, social services and a social movement Much later, he boiled down on the practical plane to the very specific theme of anti-Brahmanism. Till his death EVR was concerned only with anti-Brahminism and refused to be drawn into the argument of class,

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political efforts and new communication procedures. Then Anna assimilated a few more, introspected and purged the unnecessary viewpoints and finally emerged mature. His solutions to the problems of Tamil society contain a synthesis of the principles of Tamil nationalism, self-respect and social-reforms, the parliamentary path, mass participation, rationalism, democracy, joint sector socialism and mass communication. MGR accepted these basic tenets of Annaism in toto. However he had a few more convictions of his own, like casteless society, eradication of class-influence, social order, special treatment for women, clean administration and prohibition to bring Annaism upto date and to make it a purposeful philosophy in the spheres of society, party and the government. After formulating this ideology—' Annaims' MGR paid attention to the propagation of his party's message.12

VI

Electoral Participation

The party system in all democracies is a projection of the social system. Where society is divided into several assertive groups, irrespective of the prevailing ballot system, parties are bound to multiply. Unless effective means are evolved to reconcile group differences, political stability cannot be realised. Realising this important fact of the political life of Tamil Nadu, the AIADMK pledged first to uphold the basic theme of the Indian constitution and styled itself as a centrist party in order to balance and equate conflicting social interests. Next the party went about contesting the elections through adept electioneering and skillful electoral alliances. Also MGR's charisma took him to uprecedented heights and he won the Assembly Elections of 1977, 1980 and 1984, thus entrenching himself solidly in power.

Election Manifestos

Whenever the announcement of General elections or by-elections is made, immediately thereafter the Election Committee of the AIADMK meets to discuss candidates, political alliances and electoral strategies of the party. This Committee has three important functions.

1. It advises and helps the party candidates with respect of their electoral problems.

2. It prepares the election manifesto and release it to the public; and

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3. It reviews the actual outcome of the elections and submits a report to the General Council for future course of action.13

So far the AIADMK placed six Manifestos for the consideration of the public. It released its first manifesto on 28 April 1973 in the wake of the by-election in Dindigul. The second manifesto was rleased on 14 February 1977 during the 1977 Lok Sabha elections. The third manifesto during the 1977 Legislative Assembly elections (30 April 1977), the fourth manifesto during the 1980 Lok Sabha elections (7 December, 1979), the fifth manifesto during 1980 Legislative Assembly elections (27 March 1980), the sixth manifesto during 1984 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections on 8 December 1984 were seen to follow in succession.

All these manifestos exhibited the party's promises and policies in eight major areas. They are (1) Centre-State relations; (2) Language policy; (3) Uplift of the backward communities; (4) Policies for economic progress; (5) Education; (6) Administration and Government Personnel; (7) Women and (8) Certain civic problems.

Electoral Propaganda

Canvassing, raising money, organizing meetings and rallies, participating in processions, distribution of campaign literature, voting, candidature for office and holding it in the party or in the Government, form a range in the index of political participation.

To commit the voter to more activity and to retain the commitment of the already converted voter—AIADMK propagates through all known forms of mass communication. The following techniques are used by the AIADMK to influence the party workers and the public alike during electioneering.

1. Small public meeting,

2. Postering,

3. Wall writings,

4. Wall drawings,

5. Leafleteering,

6. Submitting a memorandum to the authorities concerned,

7. Press conferences,

8. Issuing statements to the press,

9. Short speeches through mobile loudspeakers,

10. Processions,

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11. Celebrating the birthday or death anniversary of a leader,

12. Broadcasts through radio,

13. Telecasts,

14. Narrative songs - villu pattu,

15. Arranging for the broadcasts over public address systems of cinema dialogues and songs throughout the day and the night for weeks together,

16. Playing party songs,

17. Door - to - door canvassing,

18. Display of party symbols,

19. Display of huge banners and cut-outs of the leaders,

20. Dancing and merry-making at the street corner,

21. Free cinema through touring vans,

22. Wearing party symbols on the body,

23. Making dresses with the colours of the party flag,

24. Display of banners depicting the misdeeds of other parties.

25. Writing letters and articles in the party magazines and other journals,

26. Offering the interviews,

27. Conducting exhibitions,

28. Entertainment through dramas,

29. Providing jeeps and cars to the voters,

30. Distribution of essential commodities to the people,

31. Distribution of sweets and prizes to voters,

32. Small processions by children,

33. In 1984 elections, showing ailing MGR (Chief Minister) at New York through video cassettes throughout the State,

34. Offering prayers in temples (Hindu temples, mosques and churches) for recovery of the ailing MGR,

35. Short speeches of MGR through mobile loud speakers,

36. Advertisement of their government in popular newspapers, etc.

In such audio, visual and audio-visual methods of mass communications, MGR simply excels. He has several characteristics of his own while electioneering. He reaches public meetings even in the small hours of the morning, throughout the day and night with little rest, hugs an old woman, christens a baby, kisses a child, accepts garlands, from everybody without hesitation expresses his courtesy first to women, drinks aerated water with all, makes references of his poverty in his early life etc.

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Electoral History of AIADMK

By-election provides to the ruling party an opportunity to test its strength and reaffirm the loyalty of its supporters. It also provides an equally great opportunity to the opposition parties to undermine the foundations of the ruling party by criticising its failures, and to project themselves as the future political alternative.

Even though MGR split the DMK and founded a party of his own (AIADMK) in October, 1972, the DMK leadership was unruffled by this act. The DMK cabinet remained intact and very few of the top leaders joined the AIADMK. It seemed that the AIADMK could be dismissed as being of no more consequence than the now defunct Tamil Nationalist Party of EVK Sampath.

The death of Rajangam, the sitting M.P. belonging to the DMK, led to the announcement of a by-election in the Dindigual Parliamentary constituency on 20 May 1973. Immediately thereafter, AIADMK announced its decision to contest the elections. The contest involved all the four of Tamil Nadu's major political parties, the DMK, AIADMK, Congress (0) and Congress (R). The DMK spent much time, money and men on this election, for it was a prestigeous by-election for the DMK. The leader of the Congress (O), K. Kamaraj, was equally concerned about it, for the defeat would mean a serious blow both to the Party and to him. The AIADMK wanted to achieve swift victory to show the people its capacity to form a Government in future. The AIADMK won the by-election by bagging 52 percent of the total votes polled. The Congress (O) was second, the DMK third, and the Congress (R) a poor fourth. The following table illustrates the outcome of the by-election.

TABLE I

Dindigual (Parliamentary) By-election

Total electorate 6,43,704

Votes polled 5,05,253

K. Maya Thevar (AIADMK) 2,60,930

NSV Chinthan (Congress-O) 1,19,032

Pon. Muthuramalingam (DMK) 93,496

K. Cheemaisamy (Congress-R) 11,423

N. Suriyamuthu (Independent) 9,312

P. Sethurama Thevar (Independent) 695

Govindasamy (Independent) 687

O.A. Varada Desigan (Independent) 502

D.V. Anganna Chettiyar (Independent) 448

Invalid 8,698

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Dindigul proved to be a turning point in Tamil Nadu politics. The DMK was discredited by the people, while the Congress (O) and Congress (R) had to learn that their political weight was very little. The resounding victory of AIADMK in the first-ever elections it had faced (the percentage of votes that it bagged exceeded the combined percentage obtained by other parties) had shown the fact that a new political development was in the offing in Tamil Nadu.

Coimbatore By-Election

In the Coimbatore by-election (for the Assembly as well as the Parliamentary constituencies) held on 24 February 1974, as a measure of electoral adjustment with the CPI, the AIADMK agreed to contest only for the Assembly, leaving the Parliamentary constituency to CPI. The CPI candidate for parliamentary constituency and the AIADMK candidate in the Assembly consitituency won the seats. (Table X)

Pondicherry Elections

The DMK - CPI coalition ministry installed in November 1969, in Pondicherry fell within three weeks of assuming office. President's rule was in force there till the elections were scheduled on 24 February, 1974. Also the death of Mohan Kumaramangalam, an M.P. from Pondicherry, caused the holding of a by-election on the same date. The DMK and the Congress (0) wanted to test their fortunes independently. But the AIADMK extended its alliance with CPI, (forged earlier over the Coimbatore by-elections) to Pondicherry. as well. The CPI agreed to the proposal of AIADMK that its sharing of scats in the 30-membcr Pondicherry Assembly would be 7-/30. The CPI also agreed to the AIADMK contesting the parliamentary seat.

Normally, elections in Pondicherry do not affect the political development in Tamil Nadu. But the 1974 elections in Pondicherry had assumed significance, in view of the reason that the AIADMK had been locked in a trial of strength with its powerful opponents—the DMK and the Congress (O) as a prelude to the up-coming sixth General Elections.

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The success story of the AIADMK continued in the Parliamentary by-election and its candidates swept the polls. But the Assembly elections produced a conflicting picture and, consequently, created political instability. It was a triumph for the AIADMK, for, it had won more than it had anticipated. The DMK and the Congress (O) were defeated again. On the basis of its victory in 12 seats (Tabl XI and XII), the AIADMK formed a coalition ministry in Pondicherry under the leadership of S. Ramasamy.

Sixth General Elections to Lok Sabha in 1977

The fifth Lok Sabha was dissolved on 18 January, 1977 and the President of India issued a notification on 20 February 1977 for fresh elections to constitute the sixth Lok Sabha. The dates of the poll for Tamil Nadu were fixed on 16 and 19 March, 1977.14

For the Parliamentary elections in Tamil Nadu, there was a stiff contest between two electoral alliances, namely the Progressive Front which consisted of that AIADMK, Congress (R), CPI and Tamil Nadu Muslim League, Revolutionary Forward block, Backward Class Progressive Federation and the Tamil Nadu Toiler's party, and the Democratic Front comprising the DMK, Janata and the CPI (M). The partners of the Progressive Front i.e. AIADMK, the Congress (R), CPI and the Tamil Nadu Muslim League apportioned among themselves the 39 seats in the ratio of 20:15:3:1 respectively. The Democratic Front agreed for 19 seats for the DMK, 18 seats for the Janata and 2 for the CPI (M).

An uncertain atmosphere prevailed about the outcome of these elections. In the Democratic Front, the Janata Party was welcome throughout the nation, while the DMK was nursing its wound. In the same manner, among the progressive Front partners, the AIADMK was welcome throughout Tamil Nadu but the Congress (R) was looked at askance for its excesses during the emergency. The Progressive Front carried the day with 35 wins. The DMK won just one seat and the Janata three.15 Probably it was the weight of the AIADMK that was responsible for the clean sweep of the polls. The following table brings out the salient features of the 1977 Parliamentary elections in Tamil Nadu.

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TABLE II

THE SIXTH LOK SABHA ELECTIONS, 197716

Parties No. of Seats Contested No. of Valid votes polled % of the total votes polled No. of seats won

AIADMK 20 54,63,741 30.60 18

DMK 19 32,24,654 18.05 1

Janata 18 31,56,116 17.67 3

Congress (R) 15 39,77,306 22.27 14

CPI 3 8,22,233 4.60 3

CPI (M) 2 2,79,081 1.56 Nil

Sixth General Elections to the Legislative Assembly 1977

After assuming power at the Centre, the Janata party dismissed the Congress (R) Ministries in eight states. Elections in these states, together for Tamil Nadu, were ordered on 11 May 1977. The polling was fixed on 12 and 14 June 1977. The AIADMK contested the election with Tamil Nadu Muslim League, the National Forward Bloc, the Toiler's Progressive Party and the CPI (M), while the Congress (I) and the CPI formed the second front. The Janata Party and the DMK wanted to contest the elections on their own strength.

Of the 234 seats in the Assembly, the AIADMK opted to contest 200, leaving 20 seats to the CPI (M) 6 to the Forward Bloc and the rest to the other partners. The DMK contested 230 seats and the Congress (I) 198. The Janata Party competed in all 233 seats.

Unlike the Parliamentary elections, the AIADMK swept the polls and it formed its first ministry on 30 June 1977 with MGR as the Chief Minister. The following table shows the election results:

146 Parties Total No. of seats contests No. of Valid votes polled % of votes polled No. of seats won

AIADMK 200 51,94,876 30.37 126

DMK 230 42,58,771 24.89 48

Congress(I) 198 29,94,535 17.51 27

Janata 233 28,51,884 16.66 10

CPI 32 4,96,955 2.91 5

CPI(M) 20 4,77,835 2.79 12

Pondicherry Assembly Election

The S. Ramasamy Ministry in Pondicherry was dismissed in 1977 for want of a majority and election to the Assembly was ordered on 14 June 1977. The Congress (I) and the CPI shared 30 seats in the ratio of 24:6. The AIADMK, the Janata and the DMK contested all the 30 seats. This elections too failed to remove political instability in the state. The final results of this election were:

TABLE IV

Pondicherry Assembly Elections, 1977

Parties No. of seats contested No of seats won

AIADMK 30 14

DMK 30 3

Janata 30 7

Congress(I) 24 2

CPI 6 1

Independents 30 3

With the help of the Independents and the outside support of the Janata Party the AIADMK Ministry was sworn in on 2 July 1977. S. Ramasamy became the Chief Minister again.

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The Seventh Lok Sabha Elections in 1980

The sixth Lok Sabha was dissolved on 22 August 1979 and parliamentary elections in Tamil Nadu were scheduled on 3 and 6 January, 1980. The Congress (I) revived the electoral alliance with the DMK and shared the seats in the ratio of 16:23 leaving one seat to the Muslim League. The second front was headed by the AIADMK and contained the Janata, the CPI and the CPI (M), the Lok Dal and the Tamil Nadu Kamaraj Congress. They contested in the ratio of 24:9:3:3 seats respectively. The results of the elections were, as follows:

TABLE V

Seventh Lok Sabha Election, 198018

Parties Total No. of seats Contested Total No. of Seats Won

AIADMK 24 2

DMK 16 16

Congress (I) 23 20

Janata 9 Nil

CPI 3 Nil

CPI(M) 3 Nil

Muslim League 1 1

Seventh Assembly Elections (1980) In Tamil Nadu

Presumably, at the instance of the DMK, the AIADMK Ministry and the Assembly were dismissed and President's rule was clamped on 18 February 1980. Elections were fixed for 28 and 31 May 1980.

To fight the elections, the AIADMK formed a 12 party alliance and this front apportioned the 234 seats of the Assembly in this manner: AIADMK 177, CPI 16; CPI (M) 16, GKNC 10; FB 5; TNKC 7 and Congress (U) 3. The opposing front consisting of the DMK, in Congress (I) and the Muslim League, shared the seats in the ratio of 114:112:8.

The AIADMK made all out efforts to get through the elections. The DMK was promised the Chief Ministership in case their front achieved the majority. The DMK was obviously optimistic. But surprisingly the

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people of Tamil Nadu thought differently. They opted for the rule of the AIADMK for the second time. The AIADMK which obtained an absolute majority, formed the ministry under the Chief Ministership of MGR on 9 June 1980. The results of the 1980 Assembly elections were as follows: